Dr Oz: Do Calcium Supplements Cause Heart Attacks?

Doctor Oz discussed if calcium supplements are safe or if calcium supplements can actually cause heart attacks. Dr Oz’s segment was called “The Pulse” where Dr. Donnica Moore, an ObGyn, Dr. Janet Taylor, a psychiatrist and Dr. Corey Hebert, a pediatrician, all discussed different medical issues people are facing.

Dr Oz said there was a study done that showed that older women who took 500 mg of calcium or more a day had an increased risk of heart attacks. If you have calcium deposits that build up in your system, they can actually cut off the blood supply to your heart and cause a heart attack. However, this study was something called a medi-analysis where they looked at 8 other studies to draw their conclusions. Also, this study was flawed because it excluded women who took calcium along with vitamin D, which is the recommended way of taking calcium. Dr Oz said that it is important that if you take calcium, you should take the following calcium cocktail:

I need to take 1500 mg of calc/400 mag and 1000 iu Vit D Do I need to take this with food. Dr. Oz mentioned supplements should be taken in the evening. I don’t eat after 5pm and can’t get it all in. Also, when I take my Centrium Silver can I also take other vitamins with it:? Thank you

I have ostreopedia and I recently started to do Reclast; which I doctor recommended; however, I have calcium in my Aorta and it parked (a small piece) in my heart. My father passed with congestive heart failure after have 7 bypasses 20 years ago. My ??? is, my doctor recommends that I take 1200 mg of VD and Calcium, should I stop the calcium since I already have a problem with calcium in my body?

My dad died of aheart attack, My mom died of a stroke. I have been taking 1500 mg of cal. sometimes a little more because of low bone density and being post menapass. I found I am lactose intollerent so I avoid dairy. I am concerned about the heart attack / calcium risk,,and getting enough cal. in diet to keep bones strong. I am active and want to avoid any future hip replacement. Thank you for your comments.

This is interesting…there is always “some” truth to every new study but we must take all of this information with a grain of salt. Supplemental calcium should be taken along with supplemental magnesium…how much is enough? Usually half as much magnesium as calcium. if you have loose stool it is too much magnesium, if you are constipated, then not enough. As well, vitamin D is so, so important and the only way to truly know if you are getting the right amount is to have your blood levels checked. As well, vitamin K plays a very important role in bone health. I need to take about 2500 IU per day of vitamin D. Calcium is best taken at night so it doesn’t compete with other minerals like iron and it also will help you sleep at night. Most people over the age of 40 will need to take the citrate form if they are not taking it with food as other forms are hard to digest. Some people believe that more than 500 mg of calcium at one time is hard for the body to utilize. Vitamin D should be taken with a fat containing meal or snack and magnesium, any vitamin or mineral actually, is also best taken with food. I will keep taking my calcium as a supplement to my food sources of calcium. Some days I take 200 mg and other days I take 700 mg, some none at all…as a supplement to food sources,,,to get my 1000 mg per day. I always supplement calcium with magnesium, about half the amount of calcium, and do not forget my vitamin D. I have blood tests for vitamin D done twice per year, spring and fall.

Hi doctor my name is adriana im 28year old I live in gainesville ga I born seziures and I dnt got calcium I been taking calcuim for long time and know I want to ask u something when I benen taking to much pills for my serizures and calcium thats mean my back of my bones hurts to muchi want to know thT everyday my back it hurts p.s answer quiestion back adriana.munoz56@yahoo.com

I am a nutrition major studying to become a Registered Dietitian and in my textbooks it does state that 500mg calcium is around the max the average person can absorb. Therefore if you are taking calcium supplements you should space them out to be at least 2-3 hours apart. The more calcium you give your body the less it will actually absorb. It’s kind of like a checks and balances thing, if you’re body thinks it’s receiving too much calcium at one time it will absorb less so you don’t get too much.